The word that is used by me in all my blogs to relate to Brahman is “ABSOLUTE” though it is not a proper word in English language; I have been using it invariably. What’s there in the name??? asks William Shakespeare, it does really matter if I am referring the Consciousness as “Absolute” then I would be concluding that there is no difference between Atma (Soul) and Iswara (Cosmos). Hence in one of my blog I have mentioned Brahma Chaitanya as “Absolute Consciousness,” Iswara Chaitanya as "Cosmic Consciousness,” Jeeva Chaitanya as “Individual Consciousness,” and Atma Chaitanya as “Witness Consciousness” to have a better understanding.

The Individual Consciousness (Jeeva Chaitanya) has its source and end in the Cosmic Consciousness (Iswara Chaitanya) and hence is no difference between them at the core. It would have been excellent if these two remained inseparable, then the individual would have had his divinity untainted. But unfortunately there is a third entity which appears here and makes the dimension trickier, which is the Body & Mind concept of an individual which is termed Jeeva Chaitanya (Individual Consciousness).

Venn diagram shows my understanding about our relationship with Brahma Chaitanya. For understanding I have Iswara Chaitanya (Cosmic Consciousness) as Circle “A” and another Circle “B” as Sakshi Chaitanya (Witness Consciousness) both the circles are present in the realm of Brahma Chaitanya (Absolute Consciousness). The union of these two circles as one could make it easy to merge with Brahma Chaitanya (Absolute Consciousness) which is at the outer realm.

When we were kids these two circles stayed superimposed over each other and it looked like a single circle and there was divinity but after the “I ness” emerged through the Mind & Body identification that is the Jeeva Chaitanya (Individual Consciousness) this caused a drift in the two circles and portion “C” was formed. Portion “C” is not a circle but it is an area which is there since the two circles namely A and B are drifting apart due to ignorance. We can reunite these two circles with the help of knowledge (Jnana) and get back the divinity that we had at our infancy.

The Cosmic Consciousness (Iswara Chaitanya) and the Witness Consciousness (Sakshi Chaitanya) are always very eager to merge with each other but our Body & Mind index creates Ego which comes in between. Basically, a Mumukshu (person seeking liberation) wanted to merge the two circles “A & B” but since the identification with body and mind is very strong it becomes tough to merge those two circles.

Advaita (Monism) preaches that with the knowledge (Jnana) of Cosmic Consciousness (Iswara Chaitanya) the Circle “B” that is the Witness Consciousness (Sakshi Chaitanya) can merge and become one with Circle “A” and eventually it can be come one with Brahman. In simple words with knowledge of Iswara the identification of Body and Mind vanishes and Self gets merged with Iswara and ultimately we have only one circle “A”. This is the concept of “AHAM BRAHMASMI” this give a ray of hope for an individual to do sadhana and become liberated in this life span itself.

Dvaita Siddhanta (Dualism) does not believe that Body and Mind concept can be handled by knowledge alone; it says the devotion (Bhakti) towards Iswara is the force that can pull and separate the Circle “A” and “B” apart and hence there is no chance of an area called “C” (body mind identification) at all in the first place. There is a space dividing the circle "A" and Circle "B" which is shown as "D" this space could be either Bhakti (Devotion) or Karma (Action). Selfless action and devotion towards Iswara with the involvement of body and mind does not allow Ego to emerge and hence there is no portion “C.” According to Dvaita there is no merge of the Witness Chaitanya (Jeeva) and Cosmic Consciousness (Iswara) at all and after the Prana Vayu ejects from the body the Individual Consciousness will attain the abode of the Sri Hari. Hence they say “HARI SARVOTTAMA VAYU JEEVOTTAMA” Hari (Consciousness) who had resided in the body as the regulator leaves the body when the Prana Vayu (vital breath) quits the body.

This is my small step to project the way i have understood what the merger with Brahman is and how it is done by these two philosophies. If my understanding needs to be corrected please i request the great thinker to guide me to understand better.

Either ways both the philosophies are right in their statements and their ultimate objective is that the identification of Body and Mind has to be annihilated. How it has to be done by taking the path of Jnana or Bhakti is left to the seekers choice.

When the humanity is understood in a deeper sense there is a lot to rejoice and the temporary joy from the material possession seem to be like a bubble on the water. Here now and gone later. The attitude of “let me and my family enjoy” is the hindrance to eternal joy. Yes welfare of the family is and should be at the top most priority but then by being selfish are we not depriving the joy of others????. Is it right to think of our welfare and proceed in life. The great Tirthankara Mahavira gave humanity a mantra of “LIVE AND LET LIVE.” Many of us are in the first word of the phrase and remain in it till death. When are we supposed to let other also to live????? In fact if all of us develop the attitude of letting others live automatically we will also be living. Isn’t it?????

If we seriously thinking we wonder if the material objects have such amazing power to draw us towards them and bond us to them. But in reality it is because of the hooks in our mind that the obsession material objects get entangled to them. The material objects in this world are for our enjoyment not for possession and obsession. Astonishingly the material object does not have the same appeal to every individual who looks at it. Some may like it some may not.

A couple went to an exhibition they had a son three years of age. The kid was enchanted by seeing the colorful balloons with the vendor. The kid expressed his intense desire to possess one. The loving father fulfilled the innocent wish of his son and soon the kid was playing joyfully with the balloon. The father too got excited and joined the son in his merry making.

Everything was well for sometime and then all of a sudden there was a loud burst and the balloon disappeared from the sight. The upset child started weeping and his father couldn't control his laughter!

The burst of the balloon has now yielded to kinds of emotions and that too of different types- While the kid started weeping the father burst into laughter! What could be the reason????? The kid had given a permanent reality to the balloon and got blindly attached to it. Hence when it burst he was heart broken; whereas the father, even while engaging in the play, was expecting the balloon to burst any time and was anticipating it. This situational preparation of the mind made the difference to his reaction.

Everything in this world is in fact like this our relationship, our strength, our mental and intellectual capacity, our material possession, name, fame, power, are all like the balloons in the hand of a kid very enchanting and attractive giving temporary joy but unfortunately and inevitably one day or the other they have to burst and depart from us.

If our Mind is prepared to accept these realities of life it will allow us to understand humanity and lets us to respond to the feelings of others.

The exact meaning of ambiguity is a situation in which a person has to choose between two equally unpleasant and unwanted alternatives. It is like to be between the horns of a wild bison the horn on the either sides is going to give pain. There is no escape route. A moral ambiguity is such a worst position that if one takes courage and chooses someone or something, he will definitely suffer. In such a sticky situation it is hard to decide with our limited intellect. Hence to get out of the dilemma on the morally correct course of action one needs to have the grace of the all pervading Absolute.

Arjuna has this moral ambiguity at the start of the war. He was so disturbed that he forgot the Kshatriya Dharma and he had to be brought back to sense by none other than Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna motivated not only Arjuna but the entire human race. Sometimes due to effect of emotions we see Dharma as Adharma and vice versa. This happens to every individual at some point of time in their life span.

How does the grace of Absolute help us in such situations?????

At a situation where one is unable to choose between right or wrong the mind gets clogged. The only way to awaken our ability to discriminate is by getting the help from our “Dhi Shakti”. This Dhi Shakti is supposed to be the highest mental power a human being can posses and it has its dwelling in the Ajna Chakra (Pineal Gland) and it is the basis of ones enlightenment also. With the ever bright and glowing Dhi Shakti the possibility of discriminating what is right and wrong in Dharmic sense becomes quite easy.

Yudhisthira was put in moral ambiguity in the Yaksha Prashna episode (The Enchanted Pool). Yudhisthira gave the perfect answers to all the question asked by Yaksha. Satisfied with the answers Yudhisthira was given a boon to get back any one of his four brothers alive. Yudhisthira choose Nakula. Surprised Yaksha asked him, “O King, why do you want Nakula alive, you could have chosen Arjuna or Bheema who are great warriors. Yudhisthira replied, “I am alive and so my mother Kunthi has one son. If Nakula is alive my other mother Madhri will also have a son alive. Such was the way the moral ambiguity was dealt with.

In modern society this moral ambiguity is wiped out by encouraging the individuals to perform any kind act without keeping the feeling of guilt. How far this angle of avoiding moral ambiguity will help time only has to tell. In recent times with the influence of other cultures the younger generation is allowed to explore and wander out of the moral and ethical guidelines. This has made them to indulge in all kinds of activities apart from gaining education in the temple of knowledge. In fact college life is considered as a phase to enjoy life to extreme. If the young little hearts are let to wander too much without any guidance of what they are up to then they are sure to be lost in the forbidden jungles.

In the lighter vein, after blogging on this serious subject of Moral Ambiguity, I am in a similar situation. My dilemma is “What should I do when I happen to see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?”

In Bhagavad-Gita Krishna tells Arjuna that everything resides in Him and He resides in everything. Now the doubtful question is if everything resides in Him, why then should we try to reach Him???? What is Sadhana for??????? If He is anyway in everything He pervades in Body, Mind, and Soul also then. But we are told by scriptures that we have to do Sadhana to attain Him. What is the meaning of it??????

This blog is a very small attempt to clear the doubt from two levels, firstly from the level of our very limited perception of events around us, which is invariably not considered perfect and secondly from the point of view of Bhagavad-Gita.

At the ordinary level of perception, it can be like this. When the Absolute says that He is in all things, He means that He is the Cosmic energy which science approves to be pervading in the entire universe. The energy pervades in all materials, both living and nonliving and also empty space. Now according to what He says or rather what we are told by the scriptures is that we are supposed to go back to the source at the end i.e., to get merged into the Absolute Cosmic energy. This does make sense isn’t it? It is normal for anything that has sprung from something to go back to its source? Like the tortoise which is able to retract its head and limbs back into the shell.This physical body of ours which came into existence from a pair of gametes to be a zygote has its sources in the five elements (Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Ether) grows to become a physical body and finally becoming one with the five elements at death. This is what Lord is relating to, the five elements have pervaded the body, and the body at the end goes back the five elements……

These entire events of formation and merging are in perfect exactitude as though it has been programmed. But this is happening to the Physical Body alone. When the vital life force (Prana) leaves this body even if not cremated or buried it will decay and without any one intervening and merges with the five elements. But what about the Mind, which is the subtle body?. It is here that we have a real problem in our hands. The Mind which is filled with the desire, wantons, and ambitions acts as a separate entity and does not merge with the source; it either forgets or fails to do so at death. When the formation has taken place as with body and mind as a whole the merger also has to be as a whole (body and mind) and it cannot be as a part. The whole pervading the parts and the parts merging with the whole makes a perfect loop and it is the most valid ending of this process of forming and merging back to tally. But the problem with the mind is that it either forgets that it has to go back to the source or it does not know how to go back. Why does mind not know to go back to the source? Mind is caught in the cobweb of material world and is unable retract to the source. If mind dwells in Him always there is no problem for it to go back to the source.Hence there are repeated reminders through scriptures like Bhagavad-Gita that the mind is to be a part of the whole and not act as an individual entity so that it becomes easy to merge with the source at the end. Failing to do so will inevitable cause the mind (subtle body) to depend on another body in the next life. This cycle of birth and death continue without a break......What say?

Great character is in understanding and yearning for good of others always and cultivating good habits in the mind and heart. This in turn will reflect on every deed that we perform. This charm has to be in continues flow even in anguish. It should not be like the skin of the chameleon that changes the colour to suit the environment. Ones character is the driving force in building the strong self esteem. When our life boat is sailing with moral and ethical standards which are carved out of our character there can be no apprehensions in the way we reflect to our fellow beings let them be our family members or our friends.

A person of character will have an open mind and understands that every event has many dimensions and he cannot to relay on one dimension if he has to judge that event. Hence he becomes a good citizen in the society and believes that his conduct has a major role in the progression of mankind. A character is formed when a person is rooted to his fair ideals even at the time of crisis. Every single individual is intended to have a character of his own which he is unconcern of if others in his folk follow or not. This is the decisive factor which remains for the rest of his life on a long run.

Character is said to be the one which is not developed to get appreciation from other but it is the one of the factors which let our soul (witness) to be delighted with. Character is not that thing which can be molded in a single day but it has to be forged and hammered for longer period. It is the foundation of our success, without it money, position, or power, does not glow. Agreed that in this era it is important to be successful disregard of the character but then we are answerable to the self (conscience) which poses tricky question at the fag-end of the day.

Is a person of character who is stuck to his fair ideals unfit to live in the society??????? Is he an Emotional Fool?????????? Please respond ………………

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Enlightened Soul is one who is a seer, not the one who uses eye alone but the inner sight as well and is capable of perceiving Absolute in every living and non living thing. Enlightened Soul is one who experiences the Oneness and has the sense of equanimity. There are many who accept this fact in the intellectual level but unfortunately being pulled by this materialistic world, fail to conduct themselves in that manner. A real enlightened soul is the one who experiences Oneness with the Absolute at all circumstances weather in hardship or in pleasure. He has the mind set of accepting fortune as well as miseries as the grace of the Absolute without any sort of grumble. There is a belief that to be an enlightened soul one has to live the family and society and go in to the mountains in solitude, but that is not required if one understands that he is the eternal Soul and not his Body or his Mind.

A spiritual seeker cannot become an enlightened soul by the cumulative knowledge from reading scriptures. Reading the scriptures is like having a look at the road map to the desire destination, if one has to reach the destination one has to make the efforts to thread the path. If one can align himself with the Absolute, he will begin to experience Him and will extract the power to understand Him better. This is how one can then have the transition from lower desires to higher states of insight and understanding and will truly begin to comprehend Absolute. And in comprehending the Absolute one will begin to know self better. This kind of knowing can only be taught and learned from within and from that very moment Absolute is no doubt with us and we never perceive our own self as being a separate entity. The moment we doubt the Absolute we are no longer in Oneness with Him we unconsciously disconnect from Him which leads to disconnection with our own self.

An enlightened soul intentionally nurtures this connection with the Absolute so that there is a consistent union with the self. It is like finding constant brightness of light during the stay on this earth plane, with conscious knowledge to keep the lamp of our mind pure and clean so that the light will seldom flicker, but instead will rage in continuous glory. An enlightened soul is a blissful being, not necessarily with things that make him happy from external source but by the peace within. When this light of wisdom and higher knowledge is truly ingrained in us, the miseries how much ever it might be will never drive us into darkness.

In short enlightenment is to be connected to Absolute to get the answers to who we are, where we came from, why we are here and where are we going. These are like the signboards which help us in the journey of life and death. When we are familiar with all those signboards it will be easy for us to reach the threshold of our destination. That is to get liberation.A serious seeker is one who tries to attain enlightenment while he is alive and aspires for salvation after his death. He relentlessly makes an effort to improve his intellect and gain knowledge so that he can thread the path of Truth. This act of his pleases his Self and the Absolute will dwell in his heart. – Atharvana Veda.

I happen to watch a group of college boys sitting on the compound of their college passing comments on the women passing. I wondered if those young boys were magnanimous to allow other to pass such comments on the women lot of their family. If this attitude is not nipped at the sprout stage it will grow big and they carry on to harass women in work place and also look down upon their better half.

A society that has substantial respect to women is fit to be called a civilized one. In recent times for various reasons people in so called civil society have not been able to maintain this very old tradition of showing respect to women. This may prove to be very costly to the generation next hence we must never fail to sustain the old tradition of respecting the dignity women. This is what will make us civilized. There is a vague and stupid way to point finger towards western countries for disrespecting a woman, but that is not so women are respected all over except for some male chauvinists who what to discriminate on gender.

Dharma had strongly condemned the discrimination on the basis of gender. Indeed it has laid down very important norms to protect the rights of woman and directs the society to regard women at the esteem. Dharma says that mother is the supreme guru and the driving force in the family, and the family members should respect her in equal proportions as they do to God. Every child has to know that respect to mother is thousand times higher than that of a father. Unless and until every individual understand the importance of respecting women there is no use of sermons about women emancipation, their freedom, their education, and their rights. With all the lip sympathy towards women if one still treat her as a mere human and regard her to be only for doing household chores there is no point.

At the time of Sita anveshanam (search for Sitadevi), Hanuman goes to Lanka and finds her at the Ashokavana. He assures her that Lord Rama along with Vanara Sena will rescue her. Then he feels hungry and gets the permission of Sitadevi to eat the ripe fruits in the garden. In the intention to meet the King of Lanka, Hanuman makes havoc and is caught and produced before Ravana. After a little bit of conversation with Hanuman to know his background and purpose of his visit, Ravana gets angry with him when Hanuman says that he could have smashed his head but had no orders from Master Lord Rama to do so.

Ravana orders his men to tie the tail of Hanuman with cloth and immerse it in oil and set in on fire. Hanuman starts to extend the length of his tail and the Ravana men start wrapping the extended tail with the more and more cloth. The cloth is not enough and they start wrapping with curtains, towels, dhotis and then there is no more cloth left to wrap the tail which has not stopped growing. Men in Lanka start to disrobe themselves in order to cover the tail with their cloth. Yet there is no enough cloth to cover the tail.

Stressed and worried Ravana asks the men to disrobe the women folk to cover the tail with the cloth. Hearing this Hanuman stops extending the tail so that women are not disrobed. It is the kind of respect one has to have towards women even though they are from the land of an evil king, Hanuman never failed to keep women at high regards. This show how a cultured person should behave.

Muktir Naijasukhanubhutir, Amala Bhaktih Tatsadhanam, Hyakshradi Tritayam Pramanam, Akhilamnayaikavedyo Harih ||1) HARIH PARATARAHHarih ---------------- HariParataraha -------- (is) SupremeShri Hari is the Supreme Lord and there is none superior to Shri Hari. Shri Hari is the One and Only Independent Reality.2) SATYAM JAGATSatyam --------------- TrueJagat ------------------ WorldThe world is real. According to Sriman Madhvacharya the reality is very much that we live in this world. In context to Sri Sri Shankaracharya calling this materialistic world as a dream, Sriman Madhvacharya says that we are not yet awakened from the dream to say that this is a dream. Hence what is happening at this moment is to be considered. And the world is for real.3) TATTVATHO BHEDHO JIVAGANA

Difference in beings according to their virtues. Every follower of the Madhva Siddhanta firmly believe in the Pancha-bheda—five real and eternal distinctions—

Atyanta Bheda Darsanam or Pancha-bheda:

a) Jiiveshvara bheda

The difference between Supreme Being and the Individual Soul {God and Living things}

b) Jadeshvara bheda

The difference between Supreme Being and the Non Living Matter {God and Things}

c) Jiiva-Jiiva bheda

The difference between two individual Soul. Within the category of trees there are apple trees and there are lemon trees. {If this has been misinterpreted for division in caste then it is NOT the mistake of the Acharya. It may be the difference between two individuals of same family like two brothers exibiting different characters even though born from same parents, example Ravana & Vibhishana}

d) Jada-Jiiva-bheda

The difference between Individual Soul and Non Living Matter {There is the category of trees and there is the category of hills. Trees and Hills belong to different categories.}

e) Jada- Jada bheda

The difference between Non Living Matter. Within the category of books there are religious books and there are friction books in a shelf.

4) HARERANCARAHA

Harer --------------- Shri Hari’sAnucaraha -------- Followers

Having talked about difference due to distinction, Sriman Madhvacharya concludes that all are followers and servants of Shri Hari.

There is gradation among the beings. Some are superior; some are inferior. The law of karma at work. Because of their past karma, there are differences or gradations, Taratamya among Jivas. We have ripe apples as well as raw apples in a basket. Why do we choose only ripe ones to eat????? If this gradation were not to be there we would not have sentenced a criminal to jail. Taratamya is in fact due to our Attitudes and Ego.

The means of achieving moksha is uncontaminated and unconditional Bhakti (devotion). Here Sriman Madhvacharya emphasizes on Bhakti alone. There is no mention of Jnana (knowledge). Sriman Madhvacharya feels that Shri Hari is not to be researched but experienced.

Sriman Madhvacharya while talking of mukthi says it can be achieved through Bhakti alone. Bhakti towards Shri Hari and the jnana (Knowing about Shri Hari) is already available through perception, inference, and scriptural testimony, ie. Pratyaksha, Anumana, and Sabda.

1) Pratyaksha (perception):

There are Jivatmas who have got the vision of the Supreme at some point of time. Like as we could let us say see “Fire.”

2) Anumana (inference):

Some times at the circumstantial evidence we have got to conclude the presence of the Supreme. Like if there is smoke on a hill we conclude that there must be fire at the bottom of the smoke. Even though fire is not visible from the foot of the hill. Let us suppose there is water in a vessel we immediately conclude it to be hot by seeing the vapors. The earth is rotating on its own axis; there must be some power to spin this huge ball. What is that power which makes this earth rotate?

3) Sabda (Sound from Sruthis):

The testimony of the scripture. This is same as Srimad Ramanuja the exponent of Vishishtadvaita Philosophy also felt that the destiny has proclaimed at the crown of the all scriptures that SRINIVASA of Tirumala is the Para Brahman.

The foundation of the Dharma concept is based on Karma Siddhanta. Every Hindu scripture from Vedas, Upanishad to Bhagavad-Gita have highlighted their importance on Karma. However even though it is a simple principle it is misunderstood very much. The many cause of the misunderstanding of Karma Siddhanta is our lack of ability to comprehend the notion of Law of Attraction. It is very much important not to equate both and come to a conclusion. It is better to understand them separately to have a better picture.

Karma Siddhanta says you reap what you sow, which means that if I am planting a mango seed I should expect mango fruit but not any other. It is as simple as that. But the catch is that the fruit of the action for your deeds whether good or bad or mixed are enjoyable by you (Subtle Body, ie mind and intellect index) in the next birth. Here the belief of reincarnation is more relevant. In simple words the fortune or misfortune that I am experiencing is due to the deeds committed by me in my previous birth, not necessarily a human only. This fortunes or misfortunes that are experienced by me are the Prarabdha KarmaPhalas. But unfortunately we address the misfortunes alone as Prarabdha Karma which is by itself a mistake in the first place. Why do we do so???? It is simply psychological error in every human to connect self to the fortune because it puffs up our ego.

Law of Attraction is very simple it works on a three word formulaASK-BELIEVE-RECEIVE. It says whether or not one believes in it, we humans have a power to attract what we think of. If we think we are lacking something, we will continue to lack it for the whole life. This law equates us to magnets and explains that we attract or repel that which we think of. If our thoughts are positive we attract positive energy which may influence our life as well as the life of others whom we are concern with and at the same time if we have negative thoughts regarding their own life or the lives of others, we will attract negativity to our life and also to others. Even though it sounds very simple, it is not that very easy to implement within a person’s thought system. A person is able to invoke the Law of Attraction only if he is rigorously honest with himself and evaluates the thoughts with justifications, only then can a person truly begin to apply into thought and action the Law of Attraction.In reality the Law of Attraction is nothing but a process where it educates the individual to do good Agami Karma(action done in this present life) in all the three stages of Thought, Word, and Deed. It is just a self development activity and has nothing to do with Karma Siddhanta at all. Karma Siddhanta is a law of Cause and Effect and never a law of punishments. It is just a learning process. The perception that Karma is a punishment law is a misconception and a misconstrued idea. Karma Siddhanta provides the energetic spirit to a person returning in different life times to learn from previous mistakes and become more aligned with the Absolute Consciousness.There is another myth that Karma can be rectified by using astrology or by doing rituals to appraise the heavenly bodies, but one has to remember that it is not possible as our fate is determined at the time of birth. Yes, may be astrology or rituals can postpone the event but one can never erase the effects of the Prarabdha Karma Phalas.Without the knowledge of the power of Law of Attraction some Self Development and Motivation course tutors ask the pupils to set the goal on the so called vision board and view them daily to get the confidence, but we have had people like A. M. Sadiq Batcha, the close aide of A. Raja of the infamous 3G scam who had a “VISION BOARD” which read “I will become the richest man on the Earth” and stuck on all the five mirror in his bedroom and bathroom to get motivated. There is nothing wrong in getting motivated but if it is not guided by the correct means to approach it is a concern.

An ace movie director who has had a series of successful movies and ventures into a new project raise more expectations among the movie buffs. They expect a great film from the movie wizard. But it is only after the movie hits the silver screens will its true colors get revealed. Expectations! Yeah, it is just to expect something from our own expectations. When it is directed towards others it may fail but if it is imposed upon self then it is constructive in creating masterpieces in everything one does be it in relationships or in career and by far in our life. If it is inflicted upon those who are with us there are possibilities that it may work as destructive one which can demolish anything and everything around us. Expectation is a feeling in every individual who wants things to happen as the way he thought out to be or more precisely ought to be.

Everyone expects and there is no one who does not. What is it that we expect? Expectations vary from person to person. A kid expects attention & affection from its mother. A father expects his son to be more successful than what he is while a mother expects her daughter to be more caring than her. A friend expects company and a lover expects love from the other partner. An employee expects incentive while the employer expects more production. A microscopic organism and a flower also expect sun to come out and make them feel comfortable. The list can go on and on everyone expects something or the other from an event, or a person or by far from their life.

Is it wrong to expect? Expectations are natural process but when it is overdone we tend to get more attached to that thing emotionally and get us into a situation where it becomes difficult to get our self detached from it. Also at times it is agonizing to experience something which does not happen as expected. At such situation mind sulks and is felt heavy this is its negative side, but having said that it has a positive side too. Every time it teaches us a lesson inspiring us to be stronger and to be more introspective and make us think why such thing couldn’t happen the way we thought?

Expectations are human approach, while destiny is the Divine trait. Hence there is a famous saying “Khush naseeb woh nahin jinka naseeb hamesha achha hota hai… Khush naseeb woh hai jo apne naseeb se hamesha khush rehte hai” meaning “Lucky is not the one who has the best destiny but the one who is happy with what he has.”

There is a misconception that “Expectations are harmful”, but in a true sense it really brings out the best in me and aid me in doing the best. This is the positive side of negative effects of expectations. As I am bound to follow the positive sides, sieve out the negative ones it only helps me to surge ahead. By expecting less and give more to what I do, may be I will be living up to someone else’s expectations……also i only have to make sure that expectations do not breed judgmental and comparative attitude in me…….what say???????

Monday, October 28, 2013

Exaggeration is like painting a snake and trying to make it more appealing by adding legs --- Kannada Proverb

An individual who is not confident on speaking truth will feel that the statement he likes to emphasis has to have a tinge of exaggeration so that it has a better impact on the listener. Some people call it a white lie and would not consider it a blunder as they feel it is an art of deceptive and hyping or sensationalizing the issue to get the attention on what they are saying. In fact if one tends to exaggerate, it may be just a personality trait that the listener may accept, but the person needs help he has to be taken to a counsel. Since if it becomes a habit it would devour him.

In this material would there has to be a little exaggeration to add a little spice and to make things believe is the general attitude in the society. Well, it may be advantageous to exaggerate but it needs to be in a limit and also the thinking capacity of the audience is different. If some may feel that exaggerated statement is too much some may not even know that it is exaggerated. This has made everyone including the media and advertising field to take the viewers for granted and try to cross the limit of exaggeration to prove their point. May be competition in that field may have encouraged them to take resort to exaggerate things but if one has confidence over what they have to deliver there is not need to.

Is Exaggeration bad??????

One takes the help of exaggeration when he has a week subject to defend. Even though he is not telling a flat lie there is a whiff of falsehood in his statement. Exaggeration works wonders in the imaginary world, a poet can describe nature and use exaggerated words to fill a sparkle to his poem. A script writer to a movie may add spicy dialogue to entertain the audience by putting lines of exaggeration, but in real life one cannot survive on exaggerating things. It is a blood relation of false and nearly condemnable. Exaggeration is a feast for the gossipers and venom for a man of truth.

Exaggeration pulls many ears but for very short time ..... while Reality may have few listeners but will survive for a longer period of time.

Jnana (Knowledge) can be obtained from two ways namely Shabdatmika Jnana (Theory) and Anubhavatmika Jnana (Practical). Even though it is important to have theoretical knowledge at the beginning, it makes sense to have practical knowledge also to become complete. This rule applies for both the material as well as spiritual world. Sometimes it so happens that if one has practical knowledge without theory, he can still survive but if one is proficient in theory and knows less practically finds it tough. In the spiritual world also if one has adept to thousands and thousands of scriptures but is not in the path that is mentioned in the scriptures, it looks not viable. While an illiterate who has no access to theoretical knowledge of scriptures but on the path is far better and will be self-realized.

In Spirituality for the theory knowledge we need Mind, Intellect, and Ego. But for practical knowledge there is a need of an open mind-free heart which helps an individual to experience that thing which is practically known. We know that intuition of the intellect will unfurl on the basis of the consideration that our mind constructs. Mind cannot go beyond its realm yet its effort in the initial stages is important as our intellect is dormant. To a certain extent our intellect also can never cross beyond the realm and it is only then the blossoming of the HEART is necessary.

For those who have experience that the heart is beyond mind and intellect will understand that all Shabdatmika (Theoretical) and Anubhavatmika (Practical) knowledge will wither off. The merger of mind, intellect, and heart is felt with the feel that this experience is beyond any form of conscious state and it is the point from where the awareness springs out in the form of kindness and compassion. This is Tadatmika Jnana (Self Knowledge). Tadatmika Jnana and Non-Duality and Heart Consciousness are one and the same hence it is considered as Divya Jnana (Divine Knowledge). With the emotion of compassion one tends to be in equanimity. He transforms himself to embrace any kind of situation as he experiences it as the Divine Sport and he is always in communion with the Absolute. There is no need for such a person to prayer or offer gratitude as he is merged with the Absolute always. It is only if an individual has a notion that he is away from the Absolute such formalities apply. This state is like being always in meditation even thought one is attending the chores in the material world. To the worldly people he seems to appear like a lunatic or abnormal being.

(This blog is in continuation of the pervious blog “Be a Child always and be Blissful………..”)

Growing up physically will never help if one tends to behave childish. Immaturity is the concern of not the body but the mind. The personality development focuses on the development of behavior and the attitude of an individual which make him distinctive. With a little mature attitude an individual is well received by his friends, colleagues, as well as family members.

Most amazing fact of the nature is that one can know if a person is physically grown by looking at his appearance, but mental growth of a person cannot be determined by the looks of a person. Though the brain cells stop multiplying after certain age, one can continue to acquire knowledge and become aware and show keenness to know about unknown even in old age. With the ego an individual starts to think he has the knowledge of everything and there is no need of any more lessons from anyone. This is childish attitude.

Every individual has to develop his personality by himself with the help of self improvement literature or courses. If one has the notion that by reading or attending a 6 or 8 week course on self mastery one can develop his personality it is foolishness. Until and unless one is able to dissect his failures in understanding the childish behavior in him and rectifying them no book or course will help.

It is common in this worldly vice to get angry and be rude at times but if one considers that one has to be rude or sarcastic to get work done it is not correct. It shows lack of diplomacy and art of tackling things. For an event to go wrong impatience, craving for instant results, and inability to understand delays are some of the reasons one can comprehend if he shuns the childish attitude.

Tendency to jump to conclusions or behave to be inflexible just for the sake of being stubborn or to stand on the edge to create rift and test the limits of independence one has is the signs of childish behavior. Negative thinking even in positive environment, pessimistic approach, to be critical and suspect danger at a smooth going occasion, using tears, creating melodrama, or issuing ultimatums to influence others through their emotions, inability to understand cause and effect of the consequences, fluctuation in moods are some of the attitudes that project the childish conduct in adults.

One has to grow both physically and mentally. I personally feel that the mind has to shun childish nature and at the same time the heart should retain the childlike innocence so that the person is well balanced and is acceptable to the society, his friends, and his family members. Unfortunately as we grow it is the reverse of it that, we happen to see mind is childish and the heart is no more childlike.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

YENTHA SOGASU MAGUVINA MANASU…… (So Beautiful is the Childs Mind) writes a Kannada lyrists for a Movie.
A child’s mind is free from impurities. It is filled with innocence, it does not fear for anything thought it is scared. There is no inhibition and as reflective as a mirror. It is like the empty cup that Buddha wants every one who seeks for knowledge, to have. The child’s mind is unadulterated, and untainted by the worldly vices. It is receptive, subtle, and is quick to respond. Hence it has got the potential for accumulating infinite resourceful energies.
Is it possible to retain this Childlike Mind as we grow up??????????
Yes, it is possible but as we grow older the thoughts that are generated in our mind has its focus on either past or on the future it seldom stays in the present, while the child is neither regretful of the past nor worried about the future. Unfortunately we have become experts in analyzing the past and perturbing about future. The child has only one need and that need is hunger it cries when it is hungry and the mother feeds it, but as an adult our hunger is not only for food but for many.
And if one observes a child would cry over not getting a particular thing but once if someone give another thing its attention is diverted from the wanton thing and is happy to grab the offered thing without being adamant on what it wants. Some say it is easy to con a child but can any adult be conned in such a way????? No our mind with the Ego factor is adamant and will stay adamant until it is achieved without an bother of what is lost in the process of gaining that particular thing.
To a child’s mind nothing is routine every event that happens regular is fresh every time. A facial expression like for example a protruding tongue by us will amaze them for n number of time, each time the joy in looking at that expression will not deter. They are never bored. It is when they reach certain age and then their mind’s pre-eminence negative qualities such as suspicion, uncertainty, and inferiority or superiority complex stars to dwell in their psyche. With all those felling every act that the child make has the influence of surroundings in the way of pushing or pulling the thought process.
Nevertheless before the mind starts dominating if our heart that is spontaneous and compassionate part of our being which does not plan or calculate is retained as it is, it will be better. In contrast to the mind, heart has no inhibitions. If a group of children in a school are asked to sweep the classroom they run to fetch the broom, but even if our office or workplace is dirty as an adult we wait for the sweeper to do the job. As an adult we regulate some fixed thoughts and convictions about do’s and don’ts, but a children has no such limitations for them everything is acceptable and agreeable.
Great is that person who has not lost his Childlike Mind and Heart.

Satsangatve nissangatvam
Nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nishchalatattvam
Nishcalatattve jiivanmuktih
Due to Satsanga one develops non-attachment; with non-attachment one is free from delusion, which leads to being non-skeptical. If one is non-Skeptical he is sure of Liberation.
The association of wise person helps to move beyond one's limitations to the higher aspect of what it means to be a human being. Sri Sri Shankara in His Bhaja Govindam has given the flow chart for liberation. We are well aware that attachment is the route cause of sorrow, but at time we are unable to overcome those attachments.
Why is it so????
Attachments are habits that are hard to die. It needs a vigorous practice to come out of this habit. Attachment can happen to anything which we take to our heart. Those attachments lead one to bondage. Attachments cause one to forget the purpose of the object they are attached to. Once it so happens that A Spiritual Guru accepts the invitation of his disciple and tells her that he would visit her home the next day. The lady goes to the bazaar to get a new and costly door mat as they had an old one. The next day she is waiting for the Gurus arrival and is preparing payasam for him at kitchen. As soon as she hear the door bell sound she rushes out to cautions the Guru not to step on the new costly door mat and soil it. This is what happens if we get attached to anything we forget its purpose. It was Moha that lead King Dhritarashtra to spoil his son Duryodhana.
With the association of wise and holy there is awareness. Awareness helps drop attachment when attachments are dropped; one has clarity of mind. This is explained by Lord Krishna as Sthitapragnattva, the stablised consciousness. A stable mind can achieve anything.
In Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2 verses 55, Lord Krishna says:
prajahati yada kaman sarvan partha manogatan
atmani eva atmana tushtah sthitaprajnah tada uchyate
“When a man completely casts off all the desires of the mind, and is satisfied in the Self by the Self, then is he said to be one of steady Wisdom.”
Association of wise leads to non-attachment and in simple terms it is living life with awareness and is like spending time in the core and watching the actions that are happening at the edge as a witness. Any association that promotes this kind of thought is the company worth to be with.
I personally feel from the bottom of my heart this platform called SPEAKING TREE is one such place where i am able to associate myself with the great thinkers like you and help myself to advance towards excellence in spirituality.